Engine breather valve



July 4, 1944. H. c. HILL ENGINE BREATHER VALVE Filed March 7, 1941 .1 m L 1 I0 3 3 J Ulll AulI J I] a z a 0 lm 5/ I Q 4 a Q a h 0 0 p g 2 *4 7 6 Q 2 2 I Z 4 llllll a R/. EH W0 y r n m ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1944 ENGINE BREATHE! VALVE Henry 0. Hill, llentelalr, N. 3.. asslgnor to Wright Corporation Aeronautical New York aeorporationeff Application larch I, 1!, Serial No. "2,145

1| Claim. (CL lib-194) mulated in the crankcase, upon engine starting.

A further object is to provide a breather system having a. gravity controlled valve whereby the breather opening may be closed during inverted flight to prevent loss of lubricating oil.' A further object of the invention is to provide an oil pressure operated breather valve so that opening of the breather valve is accomplished by operation of the engine. In this connection, the breather is closed when the en ine is not running, preventing the entrance of foreign matter. Further objects of the invention will become apparent in reading the annexed detailed description in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a section through the valve system of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an aircraft engine upon which the breather system is installed.

Referring first to Fig. 2, an engine cranckcase II is provided with the usual cylinders one of which is shown at H, a front section If and a rear section i8. The front and rear sections respectively house the reduction and valve gear, and the accessory drive system for accessories such as the starter N and auxiliary apparatus II. An engine driven oil pump is indicated at N which receives oil from an external tank, not shown, through a conduit l1. Lubricating oil is delivered by the pump II to the various engine parts requiring lubrication, and surplus oil bleedingfromthesepartspassesintoanoil sump l8 whence it is withdrawn through a conduit II and delivered to the oil tank by a scavenging pump in the apparatus ll. Breathing of the crankcase is accomplished through a cored passage 8| within the engine which opens at its lower end to the sump H and at its upper end to the atmosphere through the breather valve assembly 2|a. Since the breathing is done through the oil sump, inversion of the engine in flight will tend to cause dumping of the sump oil through the breather passage 2| and to the atmosphere. Also, should the engine have been idle for a substantial period, the sump will become substantially filled with lubricating oil, and when the engine is started crankcase compression impulses may build up to a suilicient degree to discharge sump oil out through the breather before the scavenging oil pump has an opportunity to remove the surplus oil from the sump. It is primarily to overcome the above difilculties that the subject invention has been developed.

In detail, the valve assembl Ila comprises a housing Ii on the top or the crankcase in which a valve seat 28 is formed. A poppet valve 88 engages the seat 22, and carries a stem 2| engaging a guide 2| rigid with the housing II. The valve 88 is normally urged to a closed position by a spring 2| embracing portions ofthe guide fl and the stem I.

Above the seat 82, substantially radial breather ports 21 are provided. Over the top face of the housing II a yielding diaphragm 28 is dimmed. the center portion thereof resting upon a plat form 8| integral with the valve 28 through a stem Ii. Above the diaphragm 8| is disposed a container 8| which defines, with the diaphragm, a closed chamber 84 to which pressure oil or other fluid may be admitted for the purpose of pressing downwardly upon the platform 8| and opening the breather valve 18. Pressure oil is led from the engine oil pump l| through a passage 88 to the top of the container 88, where it communicates with a valve stem 8| entering the chamber N. This valve stem has a restricted port 3| toward its upper end communicating with the passage 8| a'nd has a port toward its lower end communicating, through a passage Ii, with the crankcase interior. Over the stem 8| is disposed a freely slidable' ring 82 which, when the engine is in an upright attitude, will drop to rest upon a flange 48 at the bottom end of the stem 8|, covering the port 4| and preventing any substantial escape of pressure fluid from the chamber 8|. If, however, the engine is inverted, as may obtain during inverted flight, the ring 42 slides along the stem II to cover the port II and to open the port 4|, thus cutting off the feed of pressure oil to the chamber 8| and relieving oil pressure in the chamber through the port With relief of chamberpressure, the spring 1| closes the valve 88 against its seat 28 to prevent spillage of lubricant. also preventing breathing of the crankcase. Preferably the spring is fairly stiff, requlring about 20 pounds per square inch pressure to open the valve.

During normal operation of the engine both on the ground and in upright or normal flight, the breather valve is held open to perform its usual function. Upon regaining a normal night attitude. the breather valve is opened.

Under normal conditions, the amount of time during which an aircraft may be inverted is brief so that excessive crankcase compression is not likely to build up at such times as the breather valve is closed. Even protracted closure of the breather will cause no damage prior to that time when scavenging trouble may begin to assert itself.

When the engine is not operating, there will of course be no oil pressure in the chamber 33 and the breather valve 23 will be closed. Upon first starting the engine, there will be a short interval oi time before oil under pressure reaches the chamber 34 due to the restricted port 3!, and during this interval the breather valve will of course be closed. This interval will give the engine scavenging oil pump an opportunity to clear excess accumulations of oil from the sump I. Normal breathing for the engine is established just as soon as pressure oil reaches the chamber 34.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing irom the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

I claim as my invention:

escapes bly for an invertible engine, a valve seat, on air valve closahle thereon and having a piston s t.

elated therewith, a pressure fluid chamber which said piston is operably associated. a fluid pressure connection to said chamber, a bleed con nection to said chamber, and a gravity responsive fluid valve to connect said fluid pressure connection to the chamber when the engine is up right while closing 01? the bleed connection, and to connect said bleed connection to the chamber when the eng .e is inverted while closing of! connection to the chamber when the engine is upright while closing 0!! the bleed connection.

. and to connect said bleed connection to the cham- 1. In an invertible engine having positive;

crankcase pressure during operation and a breathin: opening at a normally high level thereon, a

said valve to permit issue of crankcase vapors therefrom, and means responsive to engine inversion to negative the effect of said mechanism and to close the valve.

2. In an invertible engine having positive crankcase pressure during operation and a breathing opening, a valve normally adapted to close said opening, means responsive to engine. operation in an upright attitude to hold said valve open to permit issue of crankcase vapors therefrom, and means operable upon engine inversion in close said valve.

-valve normally closing said breathing opening, mechanism responsive to engine running to open her when the engine is inverted while closing 025 said fluid pressure connection, and resilient means urging the air valve closed.

'7. In an engine breather valve assembly, a fluid chamber having an elastic diaphragm, an air valve operated by diaphragm movements, a substantially vertical fluid valve stem in said chamber having axially spaced openings one of which is connected to a fluid pressure source and the other of which is connected to discharge within the engine, and a freely slidable gravity actuated sleeve movable over said stem to cover one or the other 0! said stem openings while leaving the other and the one, respectively, uncovered.

8. In a breather system for an engine crankvcase. a breather passage including a seat, a valve movable into engagement with the seat to close said passage and movable away from the seat to open said passage, power means for mow-g said valve, and means nesncmive to engine position 3. In an engine having a breather opening and having fluid pressur producing means responsive to engine operation, a breather closing valve, re-

silient means urging said valve closed, a fluid pressure operated motor for opening said valve against the resilient means, and a fluid valve operable in response to engine inversion to cut of! fluid pressure from said motor to allow oi breather valve closure.

4. In a breather opening control valv assem bly for an invertihie engine, a valve seat, an air valve closable thereon and having a piston assoto control said power means to open the valve when the engine 1:? upright and to close the valve when the engine is inverted.

9. In a breather system for an engine crankcase, a breather passage for said crankcase, a valve in said age, ns operative when the engine is running and in its norrcial position to efiect movement of said valve to its open position, and me operative when the engine is inverted from its normal position "to eflect moveciated therewith, a pressure fluid chamber with which said piston is operably associated, a fluid pressure connection to said chamber, a bleed connection to said chamber, and a fluid valve ope" able under the influence of gravity ,to close one or the other of said connections from said chamher.

in a breather opening control valve 38881042 merit of said valve to its closed position and also operative when the engine is not running to eriect movement oi said valve toward said closed position.

10. In a breatzer system for an engine crank case, a breather passage for said crankcase, a normally closed vain in said e, means to open said valve in response to engine operation, and means responsive to inversion oi said engine from. its normal position to render said valve opening means ineflfective.

HENRY C. 

